World Cup top goalscorer odds and predictions: Fantastic four battling for the boot

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Several star players continue to shine at the 2026 World Cup although Just Fontaine's benchmark of 13 goals at Sweden 1958 is going to be tough to surpass.

Seven of Fontaine's goals were scored from the quarter-final onwards, so there may be hope for Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland and Harry Kane, who lead the way this summer with tallies of eight, seven, seven and six.

It is looking like a four-player race for the Golden Boot and a slightly more open heat for the Golden Ball (player of the tournament) with England's Jude Bellingham and France's Michael Olise among the contenders.

Magic Messi will be tough to stop

Records continue to tumble for Argentina's talisman, who is the all-time leading World Cup goalscorer with 21 goals in 31 appearances.

The 39-year-old came to his nation's rescue with the equalising goal in Tuesday's dramatic 3-2 victory over Egypt, ensuring he remains in contention for individual and team accolades.

Messi set another couple of records against the Egyptians, becoming the first player to miss two penalties (not including shootouts) at the same World Cup and the first to score in six successive World Cup knockout matches.

He continues to maintain extraordinary standards and probably deserves to be the narrow 11-10 favourite to finish top of the scoring charts.

Mbappe keeping up the pressure

Messi was pipped to the 2022 Golden Boot by Kylian Mbappe, who continues to thrive at only his third World Cup.

Mbappe is more than a decade younger than Messi and sits only two goals behind him on the all-time World Cup scorers list with 19 from just 19 appearances, but his immediate focus is on assisting France's quest to reach the World Cup final for a third successive time.

The 27-year-old has contributed two assists - one more than Messi - and that could turn out to be a crucial factor.

Assists are the recognised tie-breaker if one or more players finish on the same number of goals, and the formula worked out well for 2010 winner Thomas Muller, who finished level on five goals with David Villa and Wesley Sneijder but also set up three goals for his team-mates.

Goal-hungry Haaland homing in on his rivals

Norway's progress to the last eight has been a team effort, but they couldn't have done it without Erling Haaland, who is already well established as the leading striker in his nation's history.

Haaland has helped himself to 62 goals in 54 appearances and seems to be relishing the extra responsibility of spearheading the team's push for global glory.

The 25-year-old's international scoring ratio of 1.15 goals per game is the best of any of the Golden Boot contenders and he will have every chance of topping the charts if his nation goes all the way.

Crazy to count out Kane

Harry Kane is coming from off the pace, two goals behind Messi and one worse off than Mbappe and Haaland, but he is impossible to discount.

The Bayern Munich goal machine has just had his most prolific season at club level and has his eyes on adding a second World Cup Golden Boot to his trophy cabinet.

Golden Ball race is a wide open affair

All four Golden Boot contenders are prominent in the Golden Ball betting, with 7-4 shot Mbappe topping the market and Messi, Haaland and Kane priced up at 2-1, 7-1 and 8-1 respectively.

But it looks a more competitive heat because of the claims of 10-1 rated pair Bellingham and Olise, who are having a huge impact.

Olise leads the World Cup assists charts with five, while Bellingham doubled his goal tally to four with a man of the match performance against Mexico.

Either would be a genuine Golden Ball contender if they can play their part in a World Cup winning campaign.

Read more on the World Cup:

World Cup 2026 latest betting odds and predictions: Could Spanish defence derail favourites France? 

Dan Childs: Dynamic duo give England genuine hope 

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